


Tics

by link621



Category: X/1999
Genre: Fluff and Angst, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2004-08-27
Updated: 2004-08-27
Packaged: 2017-11-25 10:14:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 921
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/637810
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/link621/pseuds/link621
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kamui has a number of quirks... and only one goes unnoticed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tics

Tics, quirks-- everyone has them. Little things that inexplicably play with the head of one person can be completely ignored by another. On person kind find something of the utmost importance, while another sees nothing of value in it.  
  
Eccentric. That's what it was; he was being eccentric. Or possibly nostalgic. Clinging to something that had been so important to him in his past that seemed to fade into the dim haze that was the current state of things. He wouldn't even think about it, but for late at night-- he would lie alone in his bed, and have nothing better to think about but his childhood.  
  
His best friend. The girl he loved. His mother. Late at night, when there was nothing left to distract him, he would think of them.  
  
And, that's when he started to develop his strange little tics.  
  
Naturally, the first ones to notice were Sorata and Keiichi. Those two made it their business to know everything about his life, whether he liked it or not. Sorata would comment on his eating and sleeping habits. His study habits. The way that he did his tie. The way that he tied his shoelaces. Little things that Kamui himself would never even notice if they weren't being pointed out to him constantly.  
  
Keiichi would comment on the way he combed his hair (little did Keiichi know, Kamui's hair hadn't seen a comb in weeks). His posture when he sat. The way his hands would fold over his lap when he was upset about something. Or, how he always seemed vaguely embarrassed when he was around Keiichi, but was equally determined. Keiichi admired his little quirks. Again, things that Kamui would never know about if he didn't have someone pointing them out.  
  
When Kamui wanted to see his quirks for himself, he'd look to Fuuma. As strange as it was, thinking that Fuuma was some sort of insane anti-Christ that somehow reflected Kamui-- a lot of things that he saw in Fuuma were mere reflections of his own little eccentricity. Kamui wondered, though, if it was all part of the other Kamui's strange plot to grant wishes. Sometimes, Kamui wondered what wasn't part of that strange plot.  
  
When Kamui watched other people for quirks, though, he only watched one person.  
  
He had long-since memorized the way two fingers would cradle the filter of a cigarette. If he could put it into words, he could describe the way Subaru's head would lean back slightly when he was deep in thought, exposing a pale neck. He had memorized the very slight quirk in Subaru's lips that was his best attempt at a smile on the worst days. He knew, too well, the look on Subaru's face, when true mirth took over.  
  
And, unfortunately, he was very familiar with what Subaru did when Seishirou was in the picture. His shoulders would tense. His eyes would look so sad, clouding over. His face would hold just a trace of a smile. His voice would be calm, even, and controlled. Kamui couldn't accept that Subaru felt controlled. He would talk so passively about the man who had killed his sister-- Kamui couldn't believe it.  
  
But, Kamui liked to spend time with Subaru. As long as he was with Subaru, he could be as quirky as he pleased, and Subaru wouldn't say anything. Sometimes, the man would supply a patient smile, or a few stinging words of advice, but he would otherwise basically just let Kamui be Kamui, and not interfere.  
  
So, it was, they ended up grocery shopping together. Sorata had insisted that Kamui have someone with him at all times. It had been too long since the Chii no Ryu had attacked-- and it was making the Seals paranoid. The longer the drought dragged out, the more they began to fear that Fuuma was plotting something truly awful.  
  
The big surprise was when Subaru volunteered to go with Kamui, saying he really didn't have anything better to do. Of course, Kamui wasn't, by any means, complaining.  
  
They walked together down the Inomoyama shopping district, heading toward the small convenience store. Subaru was looking down at the shopping list as he walked, muttering the items on the list to himself. "Let's see... noodles, cabbage... red miso flavored chips?"  
  
"Sorata likes them," Kamui explained.  
  
Subaru nodded, still transfixed on the list. Kamui, on the other hand, couldn't help but stare at Subaru's feet.  
  
It was just a tic-- a moment of nostalgia remembering his mom. Just a tic, he reminded himself.  
  
"Subaru-- do you always walk like that?" Kamui asked bluntly, startling the onmyouji. Subaru stopped, staring at Kamui blankly. The shopping list was clutched tightly in his fingers. And, of course-- he had stopped right on one of the cracks.  
  
"I beg your pardon?" Subaru asked, looking honestly perplexed.  
  
"You step on all the cracks in the sidewalk!" Kamui explained, exasperated. "Every single one. You don't even try to avoid them."  
  
Subaru blinked at him. "You do?"  
  
"Kaa-san always told me to," Kamui explained shortly.  
  
Subaru had a look on his face that clearly expressed befuddlement. "Kamui..." After a moment, laughter bubbled up in Subaru, and he made a sound that could only be described as a giggle. "That's the kind of thing Nee-chan would say! Oh, Kamui..." Subaru shook his head, and kept walking with a smile.  
  
Kamui blushed, frowning. He followed after Subaru, delicately avoiding the cracks in the cement.  
  
Everyone had their tics. This one of Kamui's had just gone unnoticed.


End file.
